Sorcery: Eternal Undeath

Sorcery: Eternal Undeath

Whew, I was dreading this moment, but the spells ended up being not as hard to convert as I thought. Lich transforms the caster into a lich, and Wraith transforms him into a wraith.

Lich

Keywords: None.

Full Cost: 31 points + 0.9 x Lich template cost. (126 if using the template from GURPS Magic).

Casting Roll: IQ.

Range: Self.

Duration: Truly Permanent.

This spell lets the caster become a lich, a sorcerer preserved into undeath with powerful magic and alchemy. He retains his personality, knowledge, IQ, skills, and spells, and all his mental advantages and disadvantages (including Sorcerous Empowerment), but gains the physical and supernatural traits of a lich, as determined by the GM. The more powerful that package, the higher the full cost of the spell.

After the GM determines the lich template (and hence, the spell cost), the mage must complete a preparation ritual. This ritual takes 30 days. These do not have to be continuous or consecutive, but any day devoted toward the ritual cannot be spent adventuring, working on other projects, etc.; the sorcerer has only enough free time to eat, sleep, bathe, and perhaps converse a bit. At the end of the ritual, he rolls against IQ + Talent. Any failure does 6d toxic damage to the caster, ignoring DR. A success prepares the sorcerer’s body for the next step.

To complete the transformation, the would-be lich must drink an alchemical elixir of Lichdom. The elixir of Lichdom is prepared like any other alchemical elixir (see GURPS Magic, p. 210); it requires $13,500 in materials and 50 weeks of brewing. It defaults to Alchemy-7. Anyone not currently under the effects of a Lich spell who imbibes an elixir of Lichdom is affected as if he had drunk an elixir of Death (GURPS Magic, p. 215). However, an elixir of Lichdom cannot be counteracted, even with an alchemical Antidote. The elixir of Lichdom is forbidden everywhere, and formularies for it are almost impossible to find; most liches are compelled to reinvent it from scratch.

When a sorcerer under the Lich spell drinks a potion of Lichdom, he must roll vs. HT. If he succeeds, he dies, rising as a lich in 2d days. If he fails, he just dies. Luck, as well as the Bless and Wish spells, can influence this HT roll.

This spell cannot be enchanted onto an item, and cannot be dispelled even with Remove Curse. Since this spell is usually cast only once, most would-be liches use hardcore improvisation to cast it.

Statistics: Alternate Form (Lich*; Extended Duration, Truly Permanent, +300%; Nuisance Effect, 6d toxic damage on a failure, -30%; Preparation Required, 1 month, Variant, -80%; Requires IQ Roll, -10%; Sorcery, -15%; Trigger, Potion of Lichdom, -60%) [31 + 0.9 x Lich template cost]. If using the template from GURPS Magic the full cost is equal to 126.

* A meta-trait from p. 160 of GURPS Magic.

Wraith

Keywords: Buff.

Full Cost: 70 points + 0.9 x Wraith template cost. (280 if using the template from GURPS Magic).

Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 3 minutes.

Enchants a ring or an amulet that will turn the wearer into a wraith, an undead guardian sustained by magic. It attempts to affect the wearer every time it is put on. The spell is Resisted normally by HT. If the subject ever fails to resist (or chooses not to), he “dies” and rises as a wraith 24 hours later.

The GM determines the exact abilities of the wraith, but mental traits are preserved as per the Lich spell. The wraith always has a Dependency (p. B130) on the Wraith item (a rare item, required constantly, for -150 points), and shrivels and dies if it is removed or destroyed. This item isn’t Hexed; the victim can remove it and die if he wishes. Only Remove Enchantment can reverse the Wraith spell without harm.

Each Wraith item can sustain one wraith at a time. Once a given item has produced a wraith, it has no effect on other wearers until its wraith has been destroyed. The Wraith spell has no effect on the undead.

Typically, this spell can only be used to enchant items, but in some games the GM may allow it to be used as is.

Statistics: Affliction 1 (HT; Accessibility, Only living creatures, -10%; Advantage, Wraith, +560%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Increased 1/2D, 10x, +15%; No Signature, +20%; Sorcery, ‑15%) [70 + 0.9 x Wraith template cost]. Notes: “Wraith” is Alternate Form (Wraith*; Extended Duration, Truly Permanent, +300%; Magical, -10%) [59 + 0.9 x Wraith template cost]. If using the template from GURPS Magic the full cost is equal to 280.

* A meta-trait from p. 160 of GURPS Magic.